The Malaysian government welcomed the world court judgment handing it two tiny islands in the Sulawesi sea, expressing confidence the ruling would not harm ties with neighbouring Indonesia.

"We are happy with the announcement. It will not jeopardise relations. Both governments agreed to go to the world court after we failed to resolve it through negotiations," Shafie Apdal, deputy defence minister told AFP in a telephone interview from the The Hague.

"Everybody now must adhere to the ruling," he added.

Shafie's political constituency in eastern Sabah state fronts the two islands.

Ligitan and Sipidan, small islands off the coast of Sabah and Indonesia's East Kalimantan province, have been claimed by the two countries in a dispute dating back more than three decades.

'Manifestations of state authority'

"The court, by 16 votes to one, finds that sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan belongs to Malaysia," presiding judge Gilbert Guillaume said.

The court ruled that neither Indonesia nor Malaysia had a title-based claim to the tiny islands recognised as one of the best diving areas in Southeast Asia.

Instead it ruled that Kuala Lumpur had shown "manifestations of state authority" over the islands, notably in the 1930s, while Indonesia did not protest Malaysia's actions until 1969.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, deputy prime minister, said that Malaysia was keen to strengthern ties with Indonesia.

"We not only want to maintain the present level of relationship but wish to make it even stronger," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Abdullah said that Indonesia would exercise understanding on the court ruling in favour of Malaysia.

Abdul Razak Baginda, executive director of the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre told AFP that there was a possibility that "some people" in Indonesia would exploit the announcement and turn it into an "highly emotional issue."

"I hope Indonesia will accept it in good faith. I hope it will not hurt ties," he said.

Economic zone widened

Abdul Razak said the ruling also means Malaysia's exclusive economic zone would be widened by 200 nautical miles. "The court decision will increase our territorial waters. This has been one of the major issues in the dispute."

Douglas Primus, who operates the Sipadan Dive Centre on Sipadan island expressed relief with the decision.

"I never harboured any doubts that the two islands belonged to Malaysia. I expected the decision to be in Malaysia's favour. This puts to rest all lingering doubts over the future of the two islands' sovereignty once and for all," he said. — AFP